title: Variation of blood T lymphocyte subgroups in patients with non- small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study variation in T lymphocyte subgoups and its clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of CD3+ , CD4+ , CD8+ , CD4+/CD8+, NK and Treg cells in peripheral blood of NSCLC cases and healthy adults were determined by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD3+ , CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio and NK cells in NSCLCs were decreased significantly in comparison with the control group (P < 0.01), and decreased with increase in the clinical stage of NSCLC, while CD8+ cells demonstrated no significant change (P > 0.05). Treg cells were significantly more frequent than in the control group (P < 0.01), and increased with the clinical stage of NSCLC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cellular immune function of the NSCLC patients is lowered. It is important to detect change of T lymphocyte subgroups by flow cytometry for the diagnosis, treatment and prognostic assessment of NSCLC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China E-mail : tz1010@126.com.
authors.forename: Wen-Jing
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex